Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb given in the brackets.
1. The man complained that he ………………………….
When the main verb is in the past tense, we need a past tense in the subordinate clause as well.
2. She asked me if she ………………………….. use my laptop.
Could is the past tense of can. When the main verb is in the past tense, we need a past tense in the subordinate clause as well.
3. I want to know why you ………………………. to me.
Use do with you. In the simple present tense, we make questions and negatives with do and does.
4. I waited for hours but she …………………………….
5. If you ………………………. a little faster, you could overtake her.
In type 2 conditional, we use a simple past in the if-clause and would/could / might + first form of the verb in the main clause.
6. It is time you …………………………… blaming others for your failures.
After it is time, a past tense is used with a present or future meaning.
7. I wish I ……………………………. fly.
8. What will you do if you …………………………….. that job?
In type 1 conditional, we use a simple present tense in the if-clause and will / can / may + first form of the verb in the main clause.
9. By next September, I …………………………… in this college for twenty years.
We use the future perfect to say that an activity will have completed by a certain point of time in future.
10. I asked her what she …………………………. there.
11. We ………………………….. the job by next Monday.
12. He ………………………….. ill for two months, before he died.
Perfect tenses are more common with the time expressions for and since. We use the past perfect to talk about the earlier of two past events.
Answers
- The man complained that he had been robbed.
- She asked me if she could use my laptop.
- I want to know why you don’t talk to me.
- I waited for hours but she didn’t turn up.
- If you ran a little faster, you could overtake her.
- It is time you stopped blaming others for your failures.
- I wish I could fly.
- What will you do if you don’t get that job?
- By next September, I will have taught in this college for twenty years.
- I asked her what she was doing there.
- We will have finished the job by next Monday.
- He had been ill for two months before he died.
